This person seemed capable of shattering eternity itself!

He stood upon the Dao platform just like that, treading all manner of Dao patterns beneath his feet. Even the Great Dao had to submit — the natural laws of heaven and earth offered no resistance, all obeying his command.

Wushi!

So this was Wushi?

An existence that could sweep through all the heavens, invincible in all directions, sung of and praised throughout the ages — yet who could ever truly behold him? No portrait of him existed in the mortal world; no one knew his true form.

Ye Fan’s heart pounded violently. The man standing upon the Dao platform was extraordinarily remarkable, possessing an air unlike any other — I exist, therefore the heavens are irrelevant; I exist, therefore even the Dao may be set aside!

He seemed capable of representing heaven and earth itself, representing eternity and the Great Dao. With black hair draped over his shoulders, his magnificent and towering figure stood like an immortal monument erected there, beyond any mortal’s surpassing.

And yet — he still had his back turned to the mortal world. His true face remained unseen; his gaze remained hidden. This filled Ye Fan’s heart with boundless regret.

In this moment, the aura of an ancient Great Emperor permeated the air, as though crossing the span of a thousand ages to arrive here. It felt as though one were truly gazing up at a flesh-and-blood one who had attained the Dao.

Why is it like this? Ye Fan felt a strange sense of illusion — this supreme existence, both human and divine, why did he always have his back turned to all living beings? The shadowy apparition he had witnessed within Purple Mountain had been the same!

The ancient Dao platform, branded with the mottled marks of ages past, recorded the life of the Great Emperor — sitting alone in meditation, back turned to all living beings. What was he gazing toward in the distance?

“BOOM!”

The Wushi Great Emperor began to manifest — his methods, his techniques, his Dao seemed to span from ancient times to the present, unfolding right before one’s eyes, presenting itself to the mortal world.

One strand after another of Dao light flew outward. One after another, divine principles intertwined. He became the center of heaven and earth, with even the sun, moon, and stars revolving around him.

The methods of Wushi — their secrets unspeakable — yet even this aura alone shook one to the core. What manner of power was this? He seemed to be the center of the universe itself.

“BOOM!”

A surge of aura rushed forward, engulfing Ye Fan entirely. This was— his heart trembled with shock. It felt as though a living person were standing right there with their back to him.

The Wushi Great Emperor seemed to still walk among the living, right there ahead, manifesting the secrets of attaining the Dao. Everything was so profound and mysterious that his heart and spirit were utterly drawn in.

This was a technique — not the entirety of Wushi’s Dao — yet it was sufficient to occupy any other person for an entire lifetime of contemplation, perhaps yielding only its most superficial aspects.

“So close, yet so impossibly far. I cannot see it clearly; I do not understand how it operates.”

Ye Fan’s heart became still as water; he did not lose his composure. He opened his Heavenly Eye to perceive the essence of things, while his Clairaudient Ear listened for the resonant sound of the Dao, capturing its trajectory.

“I have heard the wondrous melody of the Dao.”

A ripple appeared within his heart. Within both ears, the Dao hummed in harmony, weaving one after another into tangible traces that surfaced within his mind.

Ye Fan moved his body — his form following the movements of his heart — using his body as a method-seal, merging himself into heaven and earth, beginning to deduce and comprehend, again and again.

He forgot everything else. He did not know where he was. Before his eyes existed only one towering figure — his goal, the very root of all he pursued.

In the boundless void, in the eternal Dao, Ye Fan forgot all things. There was only that Dao before him, which he endlessly chased, wanting to grasp it within his palm.

“CRACK!”

A bolt of lightning struck down, cleaving this world apart, shattering this stillness, disrupting the order of space and time, tearing him free from that state.

“Kid, have you gone mad?!” A massive black paw descended upon his shoulder, shaking him forcefully.

“What’s wrong? Why did you interrupt my thoughts? I was just about to grasp everything in my hands.” Ye Fan asked.

“Just now, you were nearly dissolving into the Dao — your very self was nearly erased, almost becoming a part of the laws of heaven and earth.” The Great Black Dog said in a deep voice.

Dissolving into the Dao — a terrifying phrase. Many powerful cultivators ultimately walked this path, their bodies dying as the Dao faded away, returning into the principles of heaven and earth.

“Is that so? Yet I was clearly drawing close to that divine technique, about to grasp it — why would I dissolve into the Dao?” He questioned himself.

“That is precisely because the Wushi Great Emperor was too powerful. He could suppress the Great Dao of heaven and earth; the principles he manifested were unmatched throughout the world. You have not reached that realm, yet you sought to emulate him — that is naturally courting death.”

Even so, the Great Black Dog was considerably astonished. He had not imagined that Ye Fan would become so deeply immersed, demonstrating this level of comprehension — nearly grasping the very essence of that technique.

“It cannot be grasped. Even a Great Sage would be incapable of it. Therefore, you must not force it. No one can know the state of mind in which the Wushi Great Emperor created that technique. Without resonance, one can never fully comprehend it.”

Thereafter, Ye Fan resumed his contemplation — gazing at that figure with its back turned to all living beings, manifesting the Dao within his heart, comprehending the secret technique, losing himself and the world alike.

Finally, everything disappeared. The Black Emperor closed away that ancient memory. Only Ye Fan stood alone atop the mountain peak, closing his eyes and silently absorbing what he had perceived.

“What did you transmit to him? Was it Wushi’s Dao?” Duan De appeared like a ghost, crawling out from a grave-robber’s tunnel and inquiring of the Black Emperor.

“Woof! You dared to eavesdrop?!” The Great Black Dog gave chase, snapping and biting.

“Infinite Heavenly Venerable! Would a poor Daoist such as myself be that sort of person? Besides, you transmitted the teachings through the mind — how could I possibly see it?” Duan De said.

The Black Emperor halted and said: “His comprehension in cultivation is quite impressive — swiftly illuminating the Dao and seizing its essence. A pity he is not a Innate Sacred Body Dao Embryo.”

“Who moved the ancient burial stone stele from Heavenly Village?!” Qi Luo’s voice rang out from the distance, followed by a furious roar as he discovered a grave-robber’s tunnel.

“I’m leaving first — I’ll go watch that world-shaking great battle when the time comes!” Duan De hunched his neck, slipped into the underground passage, and vanished.

One day and one night later, Ye Fan awoke. Stretching out his hands to greet the morning glow, his entire body was wreathed in the radiance of sunlight, his whole person becoming incomparably resplendent.

“Is this one of the Wushi Great Emperor’s secret techniques?”

He murmured to himself. Clenching his right hand into a fist, he struck his left hand with full force, then defended with Wushi’s secret technique — and a wondrous, peculiar thing occurred.

“I think I may have understood the path of the Wushi Great Emperor…” Ye Fan gazed at his own two hands, shaken to his core.

In the distance, the Black Emperor’s heart jolted violently. That Ye Fan had comprehended this technique in such a short span of time astonished it beyond measure.

“To have reached this level of comprehension is already extraordinarily rare. No one can obtain a flawless version of Wushi’s technique.” The Great Black Dog murmured, then ran forward and said: “The path the Wushi Great Emperor walked, and his Dao, no one can see through it entirely. There is no need to overthink this — you should quickly consolidate what you have gained.”

Time passed swiftly. Nine days vanished in the blink of an eye. Only six days remained. A tense atmosphere pervaded everything, and everyone in Heavenly Village waited.

“The Divine Son will surely be victorious!” Even little Sparrow Girl knew it — clutching her milk bottle, toddling along on unsteady steps, tightly squeezing her soft, tender little fist.

In these past days, the Northern Region had become a place where winds and clouds converged. Powerful figures of all kinds appeared, rushing from every corner of the world, all wanting to witness this great battle.

It could be said that this battle held far-reaching implications. It concerned a great many things. In a certain sense, the clash between the Human Sacred Body and the Ancient Emperor’s bloodline was also a contest between two great powers — a dialogue between the mightiest.

The Great Era had arrived. The heavens and earth had long since been stained with blood. Some outstanding heroes of the younger generation had already fallen, but not yet enough to truly shake the hearts of all. Those like Hua Yunfei, the Zhonghuang, Yuangu, and Huang Xu Dao were the true focal points — none among them had yet perished.

But this battle would be a terrifying collision, giving rise to the most eye-catching duel of the younger generation. Whether Yuangu fell or the Human Sacred Body died in battle — either outcome would be a cataclysm.

The great battle had not yet begun, yet the Northern Region had already stirred with waves of anticipation. All manner of debate soared to the heavens, and who knew how many pairs of eyes were watching. Who would win and who would lose, which was weak and which was strong — heated discussion erupted everywhere. The entire Northern Region was no longer at peace; the whole world watched with bated breath, every person craning their neck in anticipation.

Ye Fan left Heavenly Village. He walked alone through desolate mountains and wild expanses, wandering outside Purple Mountain, coming to the edge of the Primordial Forbidden Zone, appearing along the cliffs of Falling Eagle Ridge.

Li Heishui, Dongfang Ye, and others wished to accompany him — he did not agree. He traveled alone, adjusting his own state of mind, seeking to reach his peak condition.

He trekked on foot through many primordial territories, coming to many wilderness mountain ranges he had never before set foot in. In the end, he crossed through the void and departed alone for the Southern Region.

As powerful figures from all directions streamed northward into the Northern Region, the ancient battlefield of Dwelling in Rosy Clouds Plain was no longer dormant. War clouds gathered heavily, and many people arrived ahead of schedule, suddenly breathing much more life into the place.

The clamorous Northern Region, the powerful figures ceaselessly arriving — all were waiting. This battle gripped every single heart.

And yet, at this very moment, Ye Fan entered the Fire Domain alone. Holding the Bodhi Seed, he went directly to the ninth level, where the temperature was terrifyingly fearsome — enough to make even a Saint hesitate.

He brought forth the All-Essence Mother Qi Cauldron and began to absorb madly. Nine-colored wisps of mist surged — this was the most terrifying fire in the mortal world, transformed into blazing radiance that entered within the cauldron.

One must not harbor intentions of harming others, but one must also guard against being harmed. This battle was watched by the whole world, and various dangerous situations might occur. The ancient clans’ various factions were truly teeming with powerful experts. If a strong figure were to interfere, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Whether the human race’s Saints would appear — he did not know. He needed to prepare his own contingency plans himself, so that even if a sinister hand reached out, he could withdraw completely unscathed.

Both sides had agreed long ago: they would not employ inherited Sacred Weapons. They would compete with their true strength. Ye Fan was in agreement — otherwise, if Yuangu produced the Yuan Emperor’s weapon, there would be no need to fight at all.

This battle would be a contest of genuine strength. He would not bring forth his flames of fire unless an unexpected event occurred — unless someone attempted to harm him in secret — it would only serve as a final contingency.

A rustling sound came, as though some living creature were crawling about. Ye Fan’s heart lurched. He turned to look — and once again beheld the Ultimate Immortal Flame!

At the far end of the Fire Domain lay a stretch of withered land — barren and exposed, without the slightest trace of vitality, devoid even of flames. Yet legend held that an immortal had been burned to death here, and the Desolate Pagoda had drifted here for thousands of years.

A small tree was moving. The rustling sound originated from it. Flames danced — one after another pattern of runes, mysterious and unfathomable, capable of toppling all the heavens, incinerating eternity.

This was a place of awe and terror. Even a Saint would tremble upon beholding this cluster of ultimate flame. No one could withstand it; any contact with it would reduce one to catastrophic ash.

Ancient records were vague on this matter — whether this tree-flame even existed was uncertain, for no definitive conclusion had been reached. Yet Ye Fan had now come here twice and witnessed it with his own eyes both times. He dared not act rashly; he waited quietly for it to disappear.

“Tweet, tweet, tweet…”

The tree-flame swayed — less than a meter tall. Upon one of its branches appeared a small bird with brilliant plumage, chirping continuously without cease. Like the flame itself, it too was composed of runes and Dao principles.

“Immortal Phoenix!”

Ye Fan was astonished. In form it resembled a phoenix — lifelike and vivid, no larger than the palm of a hand — bathing in fire as it moved, mysterious and unfathomable.

He sensed that something was wrong and retreated rapidly. Yet at this very moment, the dazzling little bird chirped twice more and expelled a point of light.

That tiny glimmer of light was minuscule — yet before it even drew near, a terrifying temperature arrived, as though capable of incinerating all worlds, making one’s hair stand on end.

This was the ultimate flame from the far reaches of the Fire Domain. Although it was merely a thread of faint light, it was already unbearable. Ye Fan found it difficult to evade — it was too swift, already upon him.

He brought forth the Bodhi Seed to block this thread of scorching light. One could clearly see that this was a rune — transformed into something as thin as a single strand of hair — and it burned through the void.

“BOOM!”

Suddenly, the Bodhi Seed emitted boundless light — yet it could not hold. The seed itself was about to crack apart.

“Buddhist light?!” Ye Fan was startled. He had never imagined this seed contained Buddhist power within it, for he had never sensed it before.

He stepped back using the Walking Technique, yet he could not shake free from that thread of faint light. He swung the All-Essence Mother Qi Cauldron to block while simultaneously bringing forth various sacred objects to withstand it.

“CLANG!”

Suddenly, a resounding metallic tone rang out. That thread of faint light was blocked — by the Ancient Scripture of the Divine Spirit!

It was a half-page of scripture — crimson as fresh blood — brought back from the Purple Subtlety Ancient Star Domain. It had always been impossible to comprehend, for it contained no written characters, only incomplete Dao patterns.

Misty vapor rose and billowed. Resplendent radiance without bounds. Crimson clouds dyed his entire being red — nearly translucent — and the cry of a phoenix rang out, clear and reverberating.

The half-page Ancient Scripture of the Divine Spirit, cast from phoenix-blood red gold, resonated with that thread of fine light!